Paprika Chicken Skewers...

I'm mindful that barbeque season is fast approaching, so I know you'll appreciate some simple recipes to keep you on track. Going to a barbeque isn't the worst thing in the world when it comes to your nutrition goals, there's truck loads of meat, some salad, undoubtedly some cake and if you're inclined, a bottle of wine or ten...

The main problem with barbecues is that sometimes it's hard to know what you're eating. Let's face it, we all know sugar is bad for us... so we know munching 4 packs of jellies probably isn't the best idea in the world... The biggest challenge you'll face is when you're eating food that someone else has bought or prepared.... it's not always easy to know what hidden ingredients are in that burger or salad and that's when our nutrition can go a little off target..

So.... I'm thinking I'll post lots of ideas for marinated meats, salads and quick to prepare summer themed desserts. That way, you can bring some food to BBQs that you know is clean, and you'll seem like the nicest friend ever for bringing food! .. Sound good?

Ok.. so these Paprika Chicken Skewers are delish! Try and leave the meat to marinate overnight, or for at least 4 hours... it's really worth it. You'll end up with amazingly tender, juicy chicken with a crispy exterior...

For the paprika marinade: 

• 2 heaped tbsp Greek yoghurt
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Mix all the ingredients together until smooth. 

To marinade:

• chicken fillet, chopped in even sized chunks

Toss the chicken in the marinade until completely coated. 

Place in the fridge overnight (or for at least 4 hours). 

To assemble the skewers:

• 100g sweet potato, cubed
• 75g chorizo, sliced thinly

Simply slide the chicken, sweet potato and chorizo onto skewers. 

Grill for 8 minutes per side until cooked through and nicely browned. 

Serve with sweet potato fries & salad. 

Parmesan Chicken..

I'm constantly getting requests from people to post ideas to make chicken interesting. I'm 100% convinced that the reason most people don't stick to their resolution to eat better, is because even they know what they should be eating (ie. good quality protein, healthy fats & carbs from unrefined sources), they have no idea how to make it interesting! 

Honestly, if I ate the same thing every day, I'd get bored... get bored of what you're eating and you'll want something else... problem is, you'll usually crave & reach for the bad option... the take away menu or the frozen pizza... 

I know some of the dessert recipes I post are time consuming & involve a few steps...but nobody has time for that when it comes to cooking a week night dinner. This Parmesan chicken took less that 30 minutes to prepare, cook & tidy up after..... AND I made extra so that was the following day's breakfast sorted too. Oh AND I threw together a quick lemon and garlic marinade for chicken while I waited. 

Healthy food doesn't need to be bland and tasty food doesn't need to be unhealthy... 

For the chicken: 

• 2 chicken fillets
• 1 1/2 tbsp ground almonds
• 1 1/2 tbsp dessicated coconut
• 40g finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp crushed chilli flakes
• 1 egg, beaten
• sea salt & pepper

Place the chicken between 2 sheets of parchment paper/cling film. Butterfly the chicken and bash until 1/2" thickness. Why do I do this? 3 reasons... it tenderises the chicken, gives thinner strips which cook quickly, and I'm not kidding... by flattening the chicken, it looks like you get more chicken strips when you slice it. It looks like there's more on your plate and your brain gets tricked into thinking you have more food (awesome if you're greedy like me!) 

Mix the ground almonds, coconut, parmesan and chilli together and set aside on a shallow plate. 

Season the chicken strips with salt & pepper. 

Dip in the beaten egg & then coat in parmesan crumb mixture. Repeat until all the chicken is coated. 

Place in a heatproof dish, drizzle with a little melted coconut oil & bake for 10 minutes at 180d until cooked through, golden brown & crispy. 

I served these with a rocket salad & some homemade salsa. 

Carrot Cake..

Now that Easter is over, I'm sure you're all sick of chocolate... No?? Didn't think so... but for today, I thought it would be nice to have a change from the chocolate-fest that has been GLBTK recipes lately and go with something a little different. (There'll be plenty of chocolate treats coming soon so don't panic!)

Carrot cake seems to be like Marmite, you either love it or hate it. I LOVE it... aside from the fact that it tastes awesome, the ingredients in my carrot cake are unbelievably healthy! The benefits range from Omega 3 packed walnuts to immune system boosting cinnamon to the skin loving beta carotene in the carrots...

As I keep highlighting, yes this is cake, it tastes great and is loaded with incredible ingredients with lots of health benefits BUT it's not a 'health food' and doesn't become ok to eat on a daily basis just because the ingredients fit in with your nutrition goals. Cake is for a treat.... don't forget that!

For the cake:

• 4 tbsp Irish honey
• 125ml walnut oil
• 60g Greek yoghurt
• 3 eggs
• zest of 1 large orange (reserve 1 tsp zest for the icing)
• 225g ground almonds 
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp ginger
• 3 medium carrots, coarsely grated
• 100g walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 160d (fan). Line an 8" round cake tin with baking parchment. 

Whisk the honey, oil, yoghurt, eggs and zest together until smooth.

Stir in the remaining ingredients until well combined.

Pour into prepared tin & bake for 40 minutes. (Since nut flours burn easier than wheat flour & oven temperature vary hugely, keep an eye on the cake to ensure it is not over-browning. If needed, place a sheet of parchment paper loosely over the top of the tin).

Once baked (slide a cake tester/or skewer into the centre of the cake to ensure that it comes out clean without any cake mixture), remove from the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack.

For the icing: 

150g mascarpone
30g butter, softened to room temperature
1 tsp orange zest
3 tbsp orange juice

Mix the ingredients until smooth. Do not over-mix or the icing will become too runny.

Spread an even layer over the cake and top with chopped walnuts.

Chorizo & Sweet Potato Hash...

I don't really think of food in terms of breakfast, lunch or dinner... I'm more concerned about the quality of the meal, how it fits in with my goals & if it tastes good... This dish however, is amazing for breakfast, everything from the smell of bacon & chorizo wafting through the house, to the eggs baked on top (I LOVE eggs with a runny centre!!).. If you're finding it boring eating bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast, this is a great alternative. It'd make a great dinner too though!

As much as I love baking, I love savoury dishes like this. There are no rules, and you can substitute or add ingredients depending on your taste preferences or whatever you have in the fridge and it'll still taste great. I posted a photo of this last week on the Facebook page, but I think regardless of the simplicity of the recipe it's important to post them on GLBTK so nobody misses a recipe. After all, the page is all about demonstrating how easy & quick it is to eat well.

• 150g sweet potato, cubed
• 50g chorizo, chopped
• 2 smoked bacon medallions, chopped 
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 large portobello mushroom, sliced
• 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 100g spinach
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 4 tbsp passata/chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt & pepper
• 2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 200d. 

Start by chopping all the ingredients to small pieces that will cook quickly. 

In an oven safe skillet, cook the sweet potato for 2-3 minutes in a little coconut oil until slightly softened. 

Add the chorizo & bacon and cook quickly.

Add the onion, mushroom and tomatoes, cooking until just softened. 

Next add the spinach, tomato purée, passata and spices of choice. Cook quickly for approx 2 minutes until the spinach is wilted. 

Finally crack 2 eggs on top of the mixture. Place pan in the preheated oven for 3-4 minutes until the eggs are cooked but the yolks are still soft. 

Serve immediately. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Mud Cake

Easter commands chocolate, so true to form, GLBTK is here to help you keep on track by sharing delicious recipes for healthier treats... 

This mud cake really delivers... It tastes like Ferrero Rocher chocolates, and for all you Nutella fans, this will really hit the spot! It's incredible... chocolatey, rich & fudgy with a sweet chocolate icing... You'll never believe this cake isn't full of sugar or grains...

I chose to use mainly ground hazelnuts in this cake instead of my usual 'flour' of choice almond flour. I'm pretty sure you can't buy ground hazelnuts in Ireland (feel free to correct me), so you'll need to grind them yourself. Don't let this put you off though, it's really simple and quick. It just requires you tossing the hazelnuts into a food processor/blender and pulsing them until you have a fine ground powder. Don't worry if there are slightly larger lumps of hazelnuts.... it will simply give the cake an amazing texture.

For the cake: 

• 3 eggs
• 275ml buttermilk
• 60g coconut oil, melted
• 60ml walnut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp Irish honey
• 150g ground hazelnuts
• 80g ground almonds 
• 100g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp GF baking powder
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Preheat the oven to 160d (fan). Grease and line 2 8" round sandwich tins. 

Start by whisking eggs, buttermilk, oils, vanilla and honey together until well combined. 

Add all the dry ingredients.

Mix well to ensure there are no lumps in the mixture. 

Divide between the lined tins. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and firm. (Nut flours have tendency to burn faster than wheat flour, so keep an eye on the cakes. If the cake is browning too quickly, place a sheet of parchment paper over the cake to protect it. 

Once the cake is baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tins. Turn out onto a sheet of parchment paper on a wire rack and allow to cool fully. 

While the cake is cooling, you can make a start on the icing. This icing is INCREDIBLE! Trust me... I've made a lot of chocolate icing, and this tastes as chocolatey and fudgy as any of the traditional icings I've had. Sorry for the lack of photos of the icing, it was very experimental and didn't expect it to be as amazing! No doubt I'll be making it again, so will update this post then :) 

For the icing: 

• 200g cooked sweet potato 
• 60g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 15g coconut oil 
• coconut milk/full fat cows milk

Peel, chop & boil the sweet potato until softened. 

Add the warm sweet potato, cocoa, vanilla and coconut oil to a food processor and pulse until smooth. 

You may need to add some coconut milk/cows milk to thin out the icing if you find it's too thick. 

Spread an even layer of icing over the base of the cake.

Sandwich the layers together and top the cake with the remaining icing. 

At this point, you can decorate the cake with hazelnuts and it will look incredible.... or like me, you just have to go one step further!! 

This chocolate ganache is really quick and easy to make, and makes the cake a little bit extra special. 

• 50g dark chocolate (85% cocoa solids)
• 30g coconut oil 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt the ingredients over a low heat, stirring constantly. 

Set aside to cool and thicken slightly. 

Pour over the cake and allow to drizzle down the sides of the cake. 

Decorate with whole hazelnuts. 

Creme Eggs..

Yeah you read that right...Creme Eggs!!

A while back, a friend asked for a healthy version of Creme Eggs... and as you may have realised, all you have to do is hint at a recipe you'd like to see featured, and I'll set to work. I love the challenge of making healthier versions of your favourites, whilst making them actually taste good too!

Not to ruin the original for you... but do you have any idea what's in them? Sugar? Yep... a whopping 5 1/2 tsps of sugar in that tiny egg! You know the bright yellow yolk in the centre? Well it gets it's vibrant colour from a dye known as 'Yellow No. 6'....a synthetic coal tar dye which is a by-product of industrial waste! Mmmmmm delicious!! I used turmeric to colour the 'yolk'... sounds strange, but honestly with the vanilla & lemon, you won't even taste it...no artificial colourings here!! Oh and lets not forget the 'white'... that's pretty much just glucose or HFCS if you're in the States... These eggs have minimal sugar, with just a little honey & a small amount of sugar in the chocolate shells since it's 85% cocoa solids (AND dark chocolate is proven to be an excellent anti-oxidant.... justification of the health benefits of my Creme Eggs is complete!)

If you don't have egg moulds, you'll pick them up really cheap in an of the specialist baking shops or most of the larger pound shops usually have them too. Failing that, hard boil a few eggs & paint a few layers of chocolate onto the shell before carefully removing the chocolate egg shape in 2 parts from the cooked egg... or improvise if you have to, use ice cube trays!

For the egg shells: 

• 100g dark chocolate (85% cocoa solids), melted
• coconut oil

Melt a little coconut oil, and using a kitchen towel, rub the inside of the moulds with a really thin layer of oil. (Don't skip this step... even if your moulds claim to be non stick... they're lying! Also the coconut oil gives the chocolate a glossy finish)

Spread a thin layer of chocolate into each cavity. Allow to fully harden (don't put it in the fridge or the chocolate will lose it's shine and will end up with a layer of condensation once it comes back to room temperature).

Once the first layer of chocolate has set, repeat by spreading another even layer into the cavities. Doing it in two stages ensures an even shell.

Set aside to harden while you make the creamy centre.

For the filling: 

• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 50ml water
• 1 sachet of gelatin (12g)
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tbsp Irish honey
• 60g Greek yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric

Start by heating the lemon juice & vanilla for 1 minute in the microwave. Once hot (but not boiling), sprinkle the gelatin powder over the top. Set aside to dissolve.

Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl set above gently simmering water, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff glossy peaks & turn opaque. Add the honey and whisk for a further 30 seconds until incorporated.

At this stage the gelatin should be dissolved and cooled slightly. Pour slowly into the egg white mixture, whisking constantly or you'll end up with lumps of hardened gelatin in the mixture.

Once the gelatin is fully combined, removed the bowl from the heat. Fold in the Greek yoghurt gently, one tbsp at a time.

For the 'yolks': Remove 3 tbsp of the mixture & place in a separate bowl. Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric and 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract. Mix to combine.

Place a tsp of the white mixture into each egg shell, and about 1/4 tsp of the 'yolk' into the tops of each.

To join the eggs: 

• 25g melted chocolate (85% cocoa solids)

Using a narrow pastry brush, paint a thin layer of melted chocolate around the edges of 2 egg shells at a time. Press together gently and set aside to harden. 

And serve...... 

These eggs are really easy to make, they taste great and if you have children they're going to LOVE spending time in the kitchen making them... 

Happy Easter :)